|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
When Johanna Alvarez recognizes a need, she doesn’t wait for permission, she takes action. As the California Employee Benefits Market Leader at IMA Los Angeles, Alvarez has spent more than a decade rising through the ranks, earning each new role through a blend of vision, determination, and measurable results. By thirty-seven, she had become Market Director, now overseeing one of IMA’s largest employee benefits offices and managing over $43 million in annual revenue.
Alvarez’s leadership is defined by her commitment to empowering her team and delivering exceptional client experience. She fosters a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to excel. This dedication recently earned her a spot on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Leaders of Influence: Insurance” list for 2025.
Her journey is marked by initiative and a relentless pursuit of growth. When Alvarez identified a gap in her leadership skills, she didn’t wait for an invitation—she created her own opportunity. “I remember I came back from maternity leave, and they had launched a program that I knew I had to be in.” So, she advocated to join the leadership program with DoorTwo, a consultancy partnered with IMA. “I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I was willing to do whatever it took to be included,” Alvarez recalls. The year-and-a-half-long program helped her become a more self-aware and versatile leader, equipping her with new tools to help others reach their potential.
“I’ve come to understand that I’m an extremely assertive communicator,” Alvarez says. “I’m a doer—a maximizer. But I’ve learned to be more self-aware and to recognize that not everyone communicates that way. Now, I have a much broader set of tools to help people get where they want to go.”
At the heart of Alvarez’s philosophy is a deep motivation to ensure people feel seen, respected, and empowered. She believes that true performance stems from a sense of belonging and purpose, and she strives to create an environment where every individual’s strengths are recognized and celebrated. Her approach encourages her team to reimagine their potential, embrace failure, and view growth as a shared journey. “When I see potential and we don’t have the right job for a team member, my first question to them is, Imagine the perfect job, what is it.” I want to make sure they see beyond what has been created.
Alvarez’s impact extends beyond her professional role. As a board director for the YWCA Greater Los Angeles, she champions programs that create opportunities for families facing adversity—an issue close to her heart, having grown up on food stamps. “This organization’s ability to support people and give their children and women a space that is safe is so important to me.” the director explains. The YWCA’s support of victims of abuse is also close to Alvarez’s heart, having known many victims herself.
Mentorship is another cornerstone of Alvarez’s leadership. As a mentor within IMA’s Women’s Network, she has guided colleagues from across the company, gaining a deeper appreciation for the diverse roles that drive IMA’s success. “Mentoring is a mutually beneficial experience. With each mentee I grow in my own ability to be a better listener, curious leader and have humility in understanding other’s experiences.” Her own journey was shaped by mentors like Jacqueline Roth, and she is committed to paying that guidance forward.
For Alvarez, success is not about individual achievement—it’s about building a team that will thrive long after she moves on to her next challenge. She is known for developing high-performing teams grounded in trust, accountability, and shared success. “People want to do great work when they feel supported and seen,” she says. “My role is to create the environment where that happens naturally.”
Her perspective was shaped early as the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, learning adaptability and grit from a childhood marked by change. From her first job at GAP at fifteen to earning a degree from UCLA, Alvarez has built her career with intention and tenacity.
Today, Alvarez is focused on clarifying leadership pipelines, strengthening collaboration across regions, and empowering her team to make confident decisions that drive growth. Her motivation is deeply personal: “I want my kids to see that you can have a thriving career, be a present parent, and live with balance. And most importantly to be happy. I will always stive to stay happy. You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.”
That’s the hallmark of Alvarez’s leadership—balancing heart and strategy, vision and execution. Whether mentoring future leaders, developing innovative client solutions, or leading through change, she sets a high bar and inspires others to reach it.
